Background technology
In the manufacture process of semiconductor devices, photoetching process has become one of technology very important in whole semiconductor fabrication process.Can realize mask pattern to the transfer of practical devices figure by photoetching process, thereby produce the circuit structure pattern of superfine micro-dimension on wafer substrate, therefore, the quality of photoetching process is the product quality of the final semiconductor devices that forms in left and right directly.
In above-mentioned photoetching process, generally photoresist need to be spin-coated on wafer substrate, the operations such as photoresist layer of then having exposed by exposure, development (Development), removal finally form required circuit structure pattern.In the prior art, the various photoresists that use in the industry are mostly the organic photoresist solvents, and the organic photoresist solvent only at lower temperature (for example, 5 ℃ of left and right) just has needed best viscosity in photoetching process the time, and the organic photoresist solvent easily volatilizees when high temperature, and chemical characteristic is also unstable; So, in storage during photoresist, generally all photoresist is stored in airtight, low temperature, lighttight photoresist storage tank (PR Bottle) storage period (Resist Lifetime) and storage temperature environment that simultaneously also must the regulation photoresist.In case surpass storage period or be in higher temperature environment, single macromolecular chain in photoresist (single polymer chain) will progressively grow into macromolecule agglomerate (polymer aggregation), make and occur gel (gel) or little foam (micro-scum) in photoresist, thereby reduce the quality of photoetching process, (for example, Vt) homogeneity and stability causes harmful effect to the electrical parameter of formed semiconductor devices; And above-mentioned macromolecule agglomerate is also to produce the basic reason of cross-over connection defective (bridging defect) in semiconductor devices.Therefore, in low temperature environment, the storage period of photoresist is generally 3 months; And (for example, photoresist is stored in the photoresist applying device) in non-low temperature environment, the storage period of photoresist was only 1 week.In the prior art, the gel or the little foam that occur in the photoresist cause harmful effect to subsequent technique, to need photoresist is filtered (filter) before making with photoresist, with gel or little foam that may exist in the filtering photoresist, thereby extended the production time, increased production cost.
In summary, in the prior art, because photoresist gel or little foam easily occur at memory period, so that the storage period of photoresist shorter, and also needed photoresist is filtered before making with photoresist, increased production cost, caused the waste of production time.
Summary of the invention
The invention provides a kind of method and apparatus that extends the storage period of photoresist solvent, thereby can extend the storage period of photoresist, reduce production costs.
For achieving the above object, the technical scheme in the present invention is achieved in that
A kind of method that extends the storage period of photoresist solvent, the method comprises:
Place in advance a magnetism stick in the photoresist storage tank, and outside described photoresist storage tank, an electromagnetic field generator is set;
Control the electromagnetic field that described electromagnetic field generator produces, drive described magnetism stick and move according to default track in described photoresist storage tank, be stored in photoresist solvent in described photoresist storage tank with stirring.
The length of described magnetism stick is 2~4cm, and its diameter is 0.5~1cm.
The density of described magnetism stick is greater than the density of photoresist solvent.
The outside surface of described magnetism stick also is coated with the protective seam that one deck prevents photoresist solvent and described magnetism stick generation chemical reaction.
The material of described protective seam is pottery or plastics.
Describedly outside described photoresist storage tank, an electromagnetic field generator is set and comprises:
Described electromagnetic field generator be arranged at described photoresist storage tank top the outside, bottom the outside and/or be surrounded on the outside of this photoresist storage tank sidewall.
Described electromagnetic field generator is the solenoid of preset shape; Wherein, described preset shape is for being annular, rectangle or S shape.
The electromagnetic field that the described electromagnetic field generator of described control produces comprises:
By changing intensity and/or the direction of regulating the electromagnetic field that described electromagnetic field generator produces by size, direction and/or the frequency of the electric current in described electromagnetic field generator, produce required electromagnetic field.
The electromagnetic field that described electromagnetic field generator produces is the toroidal magnetic field around the axial-rotation of described photoresist storage tank.
Described default track is:
Circular trace around the axial-rotation of described photoresist storage tank;
Perhaps, the track that pumps in described photoresist storage tank;
Perhaps, around the circular trace perpendicular to the axial-rotation of described photoresist storage tank.
When described magnetism stick moved along the circular trace around the axial-rotation of described photoresist storage tank, the translational speed of described magnetism stick was: 1~2 circle/second.
Also proposed a kind of device that extends the storage period of photoresist solvent in embodiments of the invention, this device comprises:
The photoresist storage tank that is used for the storage photoresist solvent;
Be positioned in advance the magnetism stick in described photoresist storage tank;
The electromagnetic field that be arranged at outside described photoresist storage tank, can pass through to produce drives the electromagnetic field generator that described magnetism stick moves according to default track in described photoresist storage tank.
Described memory storage also further comprises: pallet;
Described pallet is used for supporting described photoresist storage tank;
Described electromagnetic field generator is arranged among described pallet.
In summary, provide a kind of method and apparatus that extends the storage period of photoresist solvent in the present invention.In the method and apparatus of storage period of described prolongation photoresist solvent, owing to being provided with electromagnetic field generator outside the photoresist storage tank, and be provided with magnetism stick in the photoresist storage tank, the electromagnetic field that therefore can produce by controlling electromagnetic field generator, driving above-mentioned magnetism stick moves in the photoresist storage tank, to stir the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank, make photoresist gel or little foam can not occur at memory period, thereby extended the storage period of photoresist, reduced the loss of photoresist, reduce production cost, saved the production time.
Embodiment
For making the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention express clearlyer, the present invention is further described in more detail below in conjunction with drawings and the specific embodiments.
the invention provides a kind of method and apparatus that extends the storage period of photoresist solvent, in the method and device, one electromagnetic field generator will be set outside the photoresist storage tank, and a magnetism stick is set in the photoresist storage tank, the electromagnetic field that produces by controlling electromagnetic field generator, driving above-mentioned magnetism stick moves in the photoresist storage tank, to stir the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank, make photoresist gel or little foam can not occur at memory period, thereby extended the storage period of photoresist, reduced the loss of photoresist, reduced production cost, saved the production time.
Fig. 1 is the process flow diagram of method of the storage period of the prolongation photoresist solvent in the present invention.As shown in Figure 1, in the method for the storage period of prolongation photoresist solvent in the present invention, mainly comprise step as described below:
Step 101 is placed a magnetism stick in advance in the photoresist storage tank, and outside this photoresist storage tank, an electromagnetic field generator is set.
In this step, will place in advance a magnetism stick in the photoresist storage tank, this magnetism stick has north (N) utmost point and south (S) utmost point.In addition, this magnetism stick outside surface also can wrap up a protective seam, and this is protective layer used in preventing photoresist solvent and this magnetism stick generation chemical reaction.Better, the material of this protective seam can be pottery or plastics.Further, the density of this magnetism stick is greater than the density of photoresist solvent, therefore, this magnetism stick can be still in when stationary state on the optional position of above-mentioned photoresist storage tank bottom, thereby during the photoresist in taking this photoresist storage tank, this photoresist storage tank directly not poured out or be taken out to this magnetism stick can at an easy rate.In specific embodiments of the invention, can also set in advance according to the actual size of photoresist storage tank the size of above-mentioned magnetism stick.For example, because the diameter of photoresist storage tank commonly used is generally 5~10 centimetres (cm), therefore, length that can above-mentioned magnetism stick is set to 2~4cm, and the diameter of this magnetism stick can be set to 0.5~1cm.
In addition, also will outside described photoresist storage tank, an electromagnetic field generator be set in this step, and be used for producing corresponding electromagnetic field according to the demand of actual conditions in described photoresist storage tank.Better, in specific embodiments of the invention, above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator can be the solenoid of preset shape, wherein said preset shape can be annular, rectangle, S shape or other various possible shapes.
In addition, in specific embodiments of the invention, the described electromagnetic field generator that arranges outside the photoresist storage tank can be: in the outside at described photoresist storage tank top, the outside of bottom and/or be surrounded on arranged outside one electromagnetic field generator of this photoresist storage tank sidewall.for example, can be at arranged outside one electromagnetic field generator of this photoresist storage tank bottom, at this moment, a pallet can also be set further, and above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator is arranged among above-mentioned pallet, thereby in follow-up step 102, in the time need to stirring the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank, after can being positioned over above-mentioned photoresist storage tank on above-mentioned pallet, control again the electromagnetic field that described electromagnetic field generator produces in described photoresist storage tank, the magnetism stick that drives in described photoresist storage tank stirs the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank.
Step 102 is controlled the electromagnetic field that electromagnetic field generator produces, and drives magnetism stick and moves according to default track in this photoresist storage tank, is stored in photoresist in this photoresist storage tank with stirring.
in this step, in the time need to stirring the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank, can first above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator and the photoresist storage tank that is placed with magnetism stick be put together, then control above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator by different control methods, thereby make above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator (for example to produce corresponding electromagnetic field in above-mentioned photoresist storage tank according to the demand of actual conditions, can pass through by change the size of the electric current in this electromagnetic field generator, the isoparametric mode of direction and/or frequency is regulated intensity and/or the direction of the electromagnetic field that this electromagnetic field generator produces, thereby produce required electromagnetic field), (for example move according to default track in above-mentioned photoresist storage tank to drive the above-mentioned magnetism stick that is positioned in the photoresist storage tank, translation and/or rotation), thereby stir the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank, single macromolecular chain in the destruction photoresist progressively grows into the process of macromolecule agglomerate, even make above-mentioned photoresist be under higher temperature environment at memory period, gel or little foam can not appear yet.
For example, in specific embodiments of the invention, above-mentioned default track can be the circular trace around the axial-rotation of described photoresist storage tank, as shown in Figure 2.At this moment, above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator can be arranged at the outside of above-mentioned photoresist storage tank bottom, or above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator is surrounded on the outside of above-mentioned photoresist storage tank sidewall.Wherein, this electromagnetic field generator can be solenoid.Therefore, intensity that can be by adjusting the electromagnetic field that this electromagnetic field generator produces and/or direction are (for example, change size, direction and/or the frequency of the electric current in this electromagnetic field generator), produce the toroidal magnetic field around the axial-rotation of described photoresist storage tank as shown in Figure 2 in described photoresist storage tank.At this moment, the magnetism stick that is positioned in described photoresist storage tank will be under the effect of this toroidal magnetic field, moves along the circular trace around the axial-rotation of described photoresist storage tank, thereby can the photoresist in described photoresist storage tank be stirred.
In specific embodiments of the invention, above-mentioned default track also can other the track that moves in the photoresist storage tank, for example, the track that pumps in described photoresist storage tank or around perpendicular to the circular trace of the axial-rotation of described photoresist storage tank or along the circular trace of rotate around arbitrary axis or with the movement locus of other move mode (for example, random motion) movement etc.Therefore, can regulate above-mentioned this electromagnetic field generator according to above-mentioned default track, make this electromagnetic field generator produce corresponding electromagnetic field in described photoresist storage tank, drive above-mentioned magnetism stick and move along described default track.
in addition, owing to as long as drive magnetism stick, the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank suitably being stirred, can destroy the process that single macromolecular chain in photoresist progressively grows into the macromolecule agglomerate, make above-mentioned photoresist gel or little foam can not occur at memory period, therefore, in specific embodiments of the invention, can above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator and the photoresist storage tank that is placed with magnetism stick be put together according to the default cycle, and the stirring that the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank carries out Preset Time is got final product, and needn't stir the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank always.For example, can stir m minute the photoresist storage tank that is placed with magnetism stick every n hour, wherein, the numerical value of n and m can preset according to actual conditions.And, in specific embodiments of the invention, can also the moving in the photoresist storage tank by default translational speed of above-mentioned magnetism stick.For example, when above-mentioned magnetism stick moved along the circular trace around the axial-rotation of described photoresist storage tank, the translational speed of this magnetism stick can be: 1~2 circle/second.
In addition, the method according to storage period of above-mentioned prolongation photoresist solvent in an embodiment of the present invention, also provides a kind of device that extends the storage period of photoresist solvent.Fig. 2 is the structural representation of device of the storage period of the prolongation photoresist solvent in the present invention.As shown in Figure 2, this device comprises:
The photoresist storage tank 1 that is used for the storage photoresist solvent;
Be positioned in advance the magnetism stick 2 in described photoresist storage tank 1;
The electromagnetic field that be arranged at outside described photoresist storage tank 1, can pass through to produce drives the electromagnetic field generator 3 that described magnetism stick 2 moves according to default track in described photoresist storage tank 1.
Wherein, the density of described magnetism stick 2 is greater than the density of photoresist solvent; The length of described magnetism stick can be 2~4cm, and its diameter can be 0.5~1cm.
Further, in specific embodiments of the invention, the outside surface of described magnetism stick 2 also is coated with the protective seam that one deck prevents photoresist solvent and described magnetism stick generation chemical reaction.The material of described protective seam can be the material that prevents photoresist solvent and this magnetism stick generation chemical reaction, for example, and pottery or plastic or other material.In addition, described electromagnetic field generator can be arranged at above-mentioned photoresist storage tank top the outside, bottom the outside and/or be surrounded on the outside of this photoresist storage tank sidewall.In addition, above-mentioned memory storage also can further comprise: pallet (not shown in Fig. 2) is used for supporting described photoresist storage tank; Above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator can be arranged among above-mentioned pallet.In addition, above-mentioned electromagnetic field generator can be the solenoid of preset shape, and wherein said preset shape can be annular, rectangle, S shape or other various possible shapes.
Method and apparatus and the memory storage of the storage period of above-mentioned prolongation photoresist solvent have been proposed in summary, in an embodiment of the present invention.in the method and apparatus and memory storage of storage period of above-mentioned prolongation photoresist solvent, due to an electromagnetic field generator will be set outside the photoresist storage tank, and a magnetism stick is set in the photoresist storage tank, the electromagnetic field that therefore can produce by controlling electromagnetic field generator, driving above-mentioned magnetism stick moves in the photoresist storage tank, to stir the photoresist in the photoresist storage tank, make photoresist gel or little foam can not occur at memory period, thereby extended the storage period of photoresist, reduced the loss of photoresist, reduced production cost, saved the production time.
The above is only preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is in order to limit the present invention, within the spirit and principles in the present invention not all, any modification of making, is equal to replacement, improvement etc., within all should being included in the scope of protection of the invention.